Egyptian Stuffed Pigeon: The Traditional Recipe
Stuffed pigeon is an Egyptian celebration dish: the birds are filled with spiced rice or freekeh, poached in an aromatic broth for 40–50 minutes until tender, then browned in ghee until golden. Don't overfill — the grain swells as it cooks.
- Prep
- 21 min
- Cook
- 50 min
- Total
- 71 min
- Calories
- 520
Stuffed pigeon is one of the grandest dishes in Egyptian cooking, served at weddings and big family occasions. The meat is delicate and rich, and it comes into its own when the birds are filled with spiced rice or freekeh.
الوصفة بالفيديو 2:11 min
Method
-
1
Make the filling
In a small pan, heat the ghee and soften the chopped onion. Add the rice and stir well with the spices — salt, pepper, mixed spice and cinnamon. Add half a cup of water or stock and cook the rice only halfway, about ten minutes. Let it cool completely before you use it.
-
2
Stuff the birds
Fill each pigeon through the cavity, but don't pack it — the grain expands and can burst the bird. Close the cavity with kitchen string or cocktail sticks. You can also tuck a little filling gently under the skin, between skin and flesh, for extra flavour.
-
3
Poach
In a large pot, bring water to the boil with an onion, cardamom, bay leaves, salt, pepper and mastic. Lower in the stuffed pigeons, return to the boil, then reduce the heat and poach for 40–50 minutes until fully cooked. Lift them out of the broth and let them cool a little before browning.
⏱ 50 min -
4
Brown them
Heat a little ghee in a pan or on a grill. Brown the pigeons on all sides until they take a deep golden colour.
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Tips that actually matter
- Serve stuffed pigeon with roast potatoes or orzo soup and a green salad. A light sauce made from the poaching broth also works well.
- Don't overfill the birds — rice and freekeh both swell as they cook.
- You can brown the pigeons in the oven instead of a pan; brush them with ghee or butter first.
- Freekeh needs longer to cook than rice — soak it in advance to speed things up.
Stuffed pigeon looks like a special-occasion dish, and it is — but it's straightforward once you follow the steps in order. Done properly, it gives you a deep, genuinely traditional flavour that will impress anyone at your table.
Cook mode
Egyptian Stuffed Pigeon: The Traditional Recipe
-
1
Make the filling
In a small pan, heat the ghee and soften the chopped onion. Add the rice and stir well with the spices — salt, pepper, mixed spice and cinnamon. Add half a cup of water or stock and cook the rice only halfway, about ten minutes. Let it cool completely before you use it.
-
2
Stuff the birds
Fill each pigeon through the cavity, but don't pack it — the grain expands and can burst the bird. Close the cavity with kitchen string or cocktail sticks. You can also tuck a little filling gently under the skin, between skin and flesh, for extra flavour.
-
3
Poach
In a large pot, bring water to the boil with an onion, cardamom, bay leaves, salt, pepper and mastic. Lower in the stuffed pigeons, return to the boil, then reduce the heat and poach for 40–50 minutes until fully cooked. Lift them out of the broth and let them cool a little before browning.
-
4
Brown them
Heat a little ghee in a pan or on a grill. Brown the pigeons on all sides until they take a deep golden colour.
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